Solution

• • 1980s: Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar

  Travelled through Southern Africa negotiating.

  • By December 1988: Enough progress made

  South Africa agreed to ceasefire from 1 April 1989.

  • Breakthrough: First time SA had agreed to work with UN

  Prior SA thought UN were too sympathetic toward SWAPO.
• The agreement:

  • SA would cooperate with UN concerning Namibia - elections + its independence
  • Cuba would withdraw troops (Angola)
  • Angola agreed to UN observers monitoring withdrawal of Cuban troops.
• UNTAG (United Nations Transition Assistance Group)

  Created to oversee Namibia's independence and help build the necessary framework for a democratic state

  It had 3 main tasks:

  1. Disarming SADF and SWAPO troops
  2. Monitoring the SADF withdrawal from Namibia
  3. Demobilising Namibian armed forces that had fought against SWAPO

  There were around 32,500 soldiers to disarm, actual number was uncertain as there were many guerrillas.

  • Members of small independent groups in a conflict often against larger forces.
• UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) 


  The UNHCR was involved to enable a peaceful return with full amnesty for all Namibian refugees who wanted it.

  • Helped thousands of Namibians do this.
• UNCIVPOL (United Nations Civil Police)

  Not only to help peacekeeping, but also to help the creation of Namibia as a democratic state.

  UNCIVPOL was to make sure that:

  1. The law was enforced impartially while it trained a new Namibian police force
  2. People could express their views without fear of violence/threat
  3. The elections were free and fair
• Although UNCIVPOL were used twice before this, Namibia was the first time they had been employed on such large scale.

  • Success in Namibia became a big part of operations in 1990s including Mozambique
  • Aim of UN operations were changing, rather than simple peace keeping, UN took more action in building long-term peace with nations.